


Hidden Away (Invader ZIM AU)

by kittygirl2210



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: AU, AlternateUniverse, Angst, Gen, ZADF, ZaDr
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:15:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21777247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittygirl2210/pseuds/kittygirl2210
Summary: So basically this is an AU where Dib is an elf thing who was created when Professor Membrane was attempting to make “perfect” children through cloning. Instead of being human, a malfunction in the DNA resulted in Dib and Gaz both becoming elf things and they were the only surviving experiments so Membrane decided to keep them alive. He built a shelter in the woods to hide the children and put a disguise on, to make them believe he was the same elf things as them when in fact he was human. Then he lies to them about why he’s the only one who can interact with the humans. Zim in this AU goes to Skool like normal but becomes so paranoid that the humans have begun to figure out he’s an Irken, he decides to disguise himself (poorly) as a goblin from a fairy tale story he read from the Skool. He then decides to hide in the woods.
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

Dib silently padded through the forest, his boots crunching softly onto the leaf litter beneath him. He raised his head a bit, scenting the area. He'd been running for days, away from the prying eyes of those dangerous humans. He'd always been fascinated by them, but his father had prohibited him from interacting with them. It wasn't fair! His father had found a way to make himself look like one of those creatures and he was a powerful figure in their eyes. This time, however, Dib had gotten a little too close to a group of them and they had spotted him. He had bolted away, but they had pursued. He had been absolutely terrified. He ran and ran and kept running. And now, he didn't know where he was. He was fearful to go back the way he came, he didn't want to risk getting caught by those humans. The world around him was silent, except for the faint car sounds. He hated those metal things, always zooming about. His foot came down upon a twig and it snapped in half. Dib shuddered, his tail curling up at the sound. The young child was fearful of being alone this far into forest. He had never been allowed far from his home, especially not when his dad wasn’t around. Daylight was fading rapidly. Panic began to set in, he knew there was no way to get home now. But there was no clear shelter around him either. He increased his pace, adrenaline and instinct kicking in. Then a loud thump made him roll and tumble across the leaf litter below him. He shook himself off, and looked back at what he tripped over. A strange...lump? A rock maybe? He couldn’t tell, it was too dark to see any clear features. Then it twitched. It was an unearthly twitch. Not normal. Not like other creatures he had seen. It was peculiar. Dib stood, a bit wobbly, and steadied himself on a tree. His brown eyes narrowed in the dimness of the forest. He couldn’t tell what this creature was, no matter how hard he tried to identify its scent. It was still for the most part, except the twitching. The moon was halfway up into the sky, beams of its light spilling down onto the forest floor in places where the leaves provided no cover. Still, it was too dark to see. His tail swept along the forest floor, stirring undergrowth and whatever little animals were hidden there. He took a step forward, setting his weight down carefully so as not to disturb the strange creature. It twitched again, perhaps it was involuntary. Dib was thinking this to himself. His tail flicked and his eyes narrowed. He slinked across the leaf litter, and towered over the unconscious thing. He nudged it with his foot and, when it didn't move, he picked it up gently. It flopped over in his arms and he held it close to his chest. He needed to find them shelter. Dib knew there were predators who would eat this creature in five seconds flat, he couldn't just leave it alone. He spied a large bush a little bit farther from the edge of the treeline. He'd be able to hollow out underneath it, it could provide shelter for the night. The creature still jerked in his arms. It would stiffen up, then fall limp once more. Dib was concerned for the creature. Was it dying? Had he basically just killed the creature? Alarm flashed inside of him but he quickly shook it off. What mattered at that moment was the creature's welfare. He moved swiftly towards the bush, his senses alert for anything that might attempt to come after him. The boy let out a sigh of relief coming upon the bush. He was safe. They were safe. Setting the creature down beside him, he began to dig out a hollow area under the bush. When he was finished, he collected leaves and moss to create proper bedding. It wasn't any bed like he had back home, but it was effective enough. It would work for them. He gently placed the creature into the hollow, the bedding rustling a tiny bit. Dib himself nestled beside the creature, curling up to provide it with some extra warmth. They'd survive, he was sure of it. The both of them. Even if he was far from home and this creature needed caring for, he would make sure they would survive. Slowly, the young child began to drift off as one last thought passed through his mind. Who was this creature?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically Dib and Zim are camping out under a bush or something

Pale sunlight began streaming through the branches of the bush, waking Dib up. The sun was still steadily rising in the sky, but it was past dawn. That was a bit angering, but Dib let his anger subside. He focused his attention to the creature, it was still beside him. 'Good,' he thought. 'At least I'll be awake to greet him when he wakes. If he ever does.' Dib shook his head, scolding himself for thinking in such a way. The thing was still breathing, or so it seemed that way to Dib. It's antennae twitched as the child poked it. It felt weird. He didn't like it. He continued staring at the creature as the sun rose to its peak. His stomach growled. He hadn't eaten since his escape from the humans. With his knowledge, he knew he needed to eat and fast, before starvation took hold. As his mind wandered to food, the creature stirred and sat upright, alarm shining in its eyes. The creature's antennae flattened. A clear sign of fear to Dib. "H-Hey! It's okay! I'm not going to harm you." Dib reached out his hand, which was slapped away by the three fingered hand.   
"WHO ARE YOU?!" It screamed. Dib's ears lowered, the piercing noise harmed his sensitive hearing.  
"I'm Dib. I'm sorry if I've frightened you. I was-" He was cut short by the creature.   
"You haven't frightened the almighty ZIM! I was just, you know, surprised. Why am I under this greeny leafy tree thing?" Dib sighed, the creature seemed to have calmed down. And he finally had a name.  
"I found you while I was running through the forest. You were unconscious, so I decided to find some shelter so a predator wouldn't eat you." Zim seemed taken aback by this.  
"Hmm, well, Zim appreciates your uh thoughtfulness. But I don't need the help of a filthy human." Dib laughed at that.  
"I'm not a human, I found you while I was running away from them."   
"Then what kind of Earth creature are you, worm? You look human." Dib cast an annoyed look at Zim.  
"I don't know what I am. Dad never really told me what species we are. And my name's Dib, not worm." Dib paused for a moment then looked Zim up and down. "You don't look very human. What are you?" Zim gave the boy a terrified look then a look of confirmation flashed across his face.  
"I'm a goblin! Yes, a goblin! I, like you, was running away from those disgusting filth pigs. So I need to stay hidden away from them! And you'll be my uh protector! Yes!" The young child laughed a bit then nodded his head.  
"I guess I have to be, then. But I'm going to need to find the way back home. And you're coming with me." Zim gave Dib a look then nodded.  
"Yes, I suppose I could do that. As long as you promise to keep Zim away from those humans."   
"I can do that, as long as you keep your ego down." He let out a laugh, while Zim did not seem to reciprocate the humour. “I’m joking, Zim.” Zim glared at him, then tutted.   
“Your humour is tasteless, Dib.” The Irken growled, his antennae twitching. Dib laughed a bit, then watched as Zim doubled over in pain. Alarm flashed in Dib’s eyes as Zim looked up at the boy, his own eyes glossy. "Ah, it appears I've been injured. No matter, we must set off at once!" Dib reached out his hand, warily, as the Irken winced away.  
"Zim, this could be serious. We can't travel while you're injured." Dib glanced around at their surroundings. " But this place isn't exactly the safest place for you to be staying either. We need to find a better shelter, somewhere we can get resources if need be." Zim nodded, then let out a groan and collapsed. Dib looked at the Irken with concern. This time, Zim didn't flinch away from his touch. Zim had fallen face first, his head lay loosely on the ground. "Zim?" When he didn't get a response, he gently rolled Zim over and realized he was unconscious once more. The young boy looked at the Irken in alarm, recoiling back. Were Zim's wounds that bad? A sharp scent hit his senses. Blood. Zim was bleeding. But where? There were no visible injuries. But there could be injuries under the raggedy tunic he wore. Dib let out an angry huff, then lifted his travelling companion up. He needed to find them somewhere safe to tend to Zim's wounds properly. The sun would be out for a good while, though Dib was worried he wouldn't find what he was looking for. He remembered his father telling him about tree stands, where humans would get vantage points over prey animals. These were structures up in the trees and although Dib himself was an excellent climber, he believed it would be more beneficial for he and Zim to stay in something that was more protected than just branches. He kept Zim close to his body, the unconscious Irken felt almost weightless. The boy let out a sigh and set out to find their new shelter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooo boy


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haha stuff happens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to upload this

By the time Dib actually found what he was looking for, the sun was high above the treetops. The air felt sticky and humid, he could smell rain on the way. It was a good thing he'd found this shelter right then, though, as he had begun to grow tired. Zim had stirred a couple times along the way, though he always slipped back into what Dib could only assume was a painful unconsciousness. The boy gritted his teeth, letting out a quiet hiss. He had already scouted the area for danger, there were no human scents around. "That's good, though. Who knows what a human would do if they discovered the both of us." Dib shook his head, dispelling the thoughts from his mind. He needed to focus on the now. And the now required him to scale the tree. Situating Zim over his shoulder, Dib looked up to the tree stand then dug his claws into the tree. As he moved up, he could feel Zim twitching a bit. Gripping into the bark, he moved as quickly as he could, hoping that Zim didn't start jerking around. His claws dug into the floor of the tree stand as he slid Zim off of his shoulder, then he hauled himself up into the stand. Pushing Zim further into the stand, he let out a breath. He watched as the Irken twitched, then fell still. Awkwardly, he maneuvered himself over to Zim and lifted up his torn up tunic, revealing a long gash across his pale green stomach. Recoiling back in disgust, Dib thought about his next course of action. His father had taught him about different medicines but he wasn't in an environment where these medicines would be found. He gritted his teeth and growled, an angry look upon his face. There were so many things he had to factor in now. He was hungry, he had to care for Zim, and he needed to get home. The only way he could care for Zim's wound required him to get the necessary resources at his home. And the only way for him to get food would be to scavenge for whatever he could find. But, he worried that if he left Zim, something might happen. Zim might wake and think Dib left him and then run off all by himself. The longer Dib thought about this, though, the more hunger gnawed at his stomach. 'Just a quick look for something, I'll come back if I don't find anything close.' He'd have to settle with that for now, he just hoped he'd find something for both himself and Zim. Setting out, he leaned over the edge of the tree stand and dug his claws into the bark, his palms scraping the rough surface. He paid no mind to the wood pieces that embedded into his hands, he'd be able to brush them off once he was on the ground. Gritting his teeth, he moved down the trunk. As his claws pierced the wood, he winced slightly as a small strike of pain sliced up his fingers. He didn't have much farther to go. Trembling slightly, he pushed off the trunk and landed hands first into the dark soil, dirt flying straight into his face. Dib shook his head, flinging the soil off. Scenting the air, he caught a waft of something he recognized. Blackberries. For a split second, he pictured his home. The bushes near it grew thick berries that he and Gaz had spent many a day collecting. They weren't entirely filling, but they always took the edge off of whatever hunger he'd had. Following the scent, he quickly came upon a group of thick growing bushes bunched together, heavy berries hanging off of them. Dib's eyes lit up and he gleefully took a handful, not minding the thorns. He ate berry after berry until he felt at least a bit satisfied, then began to collect them using his shirt. Making trips up the tree was difficult, though he knew it would be worth having a stash of food for Zim. If he woke up, it would most likely be a struggle for him to get to the bushes himself. This was the most efficient way to handle it. As Dib took the last handful, he realized it was almost dusk. Had it really taken him that long to collect the berries? He laughed to himself, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing that it had taken him the day. After all, it gave Zim more time to heal. Dib heaved the last bunch of berries up the trunk, using one hand to keep them in his shirt and his other to grip the bark. He held his breath and slowly inched his way up. Once he got to the edge of the tree stand, he gripped the floor with his free hand and scrabbled up the rest of the tree, landing inside. The berries went tumbling across the wood, out from Dib's reach. Letting out a sigh, he collected the stray fruit and gathered them with the pile of berries he'd collected. Satisfied, his gaze wandered over to Zim. His body was still, which Dib found concerning, but he overall seemed alright. "Don't worry, Zim. You'll be fine as soon as we get back to my home, I promise." He kept his voice low and soothing, similar to how his father had spoken to him and Gaz when they were much younger. Curling his tail, he peered out the small, rectangular window and watched the sun dip its final rays below the tree tops until it disappeared beyond the horizon. Sighing contentedly, he decided to settle down for the night and curled up to sleep. Tomorrow he'd trek as far as he had to to get Zim healed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heehee

Zim awoke with a start, his whole body jolted as a loud cracking sound boomed outside, rain pelting down soon after. What was going on? It took a moment to process the past few days, scattered memories began piecing together in his mind. A sudden pain brought him back to full awareness and he doubled over, clenching his torn uniform. Lifting up the raggedy clothes, he glanced down at his wound. Why wasn't he healing? The PAK had an automatic process to quickly heal any injured Invader, so why wasn't his working? Tentatively, he reached behind him to feel the PAK, which was invisible to all but him. Then, he paused for a moment and turned to where Dib was laying. Fear pricked through his body when he saw the child shift, though he relaxed once he realized Dib was still sleeping. He eased his fingers over his PAK, pressing one of the panels and it disconnected from his back. He had to be quick. Bringing the PAK in front of him, he opened one of the side panels and began fiddling with some of the wiring. His hand grazed something just slightly and he realized this was the cause of the problem. Part of the PAK's wiring was disconnected, no doubt the part that helped with quick healing. Zim eased his slender fingers to where the wiring was and quickly began to work on reattaching the wires. Once he was sure the repairs were done, he closed the panels and slid the pack back onto his back. Letting out a sigh of relief, he listened to the pattering of the rain on the rooftop of the stand. Morning was a long way off. Zim hoped that by then the rain would have stopped. Although he had covered himself in paste before running to the woods, he was wary it would peel off eventually. It wasn't worth the risk to go out and trudge through the rain. Solemnly, he laid on the floor and waited for either the sun to rise or for the Earth creature to awaken.

By the time the Dib woke, the sun was already above the treetops. Dib silently blinked away the sleep from his eyes and looked at Zim. "You're awake? I'm surprised, your wound hasn't been healing properly. I'm sure you're in a lot of pain." Zim could feel his wound, what was once a festering and painful mark was now nothing more than a slight ache. Dib shifted closer to the Irken. "Would you be okay with me looking at it? I don't want to bother it if it hurts you too much but I need to make sure it's not infected." Zim nodded, but slightly winced as Dib lifted his torn uniform. What Dib saw was nothing more than a clean and practically completely healed wound. "What?! This is practically healed! You were just unconscious from it yesterday and it was incredibly infected." Zim shrugged, then laughed. 

"I'm a fast healer, Dib." Dib was still completely bewildered, but accepted that. If Zim didn't want to indulge in any information, that was fine. Dib didn't want to pry and make Zim uncomfortable. 

"Anyways, we should start heading towards where I live now that you're all better. It'll be a lot safer than here in this tree stand. Plus, my dad can help you with any other healing you might need." Zim nodded his head, not paying much attention to the humanoid creature. Dib rolled his eyes slightly, then made a motion towards him. "Let's get going." Dib knew this would be the start to a long journey, perhaps a treacherous one as well.

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhhh this is my first published fanfiction here! I hope you all enjoy it!!


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